The present invention pertains to portable data handling systems, and more particularly, to a compact pen-based computer system is easy to use, rugged, and highly customizable and ungradable. The present invention also pertains to computer docking systems with different levels of docking functionality.
Portable computers, such as hand-held data entry terminals and the like are commonly used for data or information handling in a variety of mobile applications. For example, portable computers may be used to increase the efficiency of the field service operations of gas, electric, water, telephone, and cable television utilities, and so forth. Likewise, portable computers find widespread in the fields of sales, e.g., as portable point of sale terminals, distribution, delivery services, route accounting or auditing, healthcare, insurance claims adjustment, public safety, plant/equipment maintenance, and so forth, where it is advantageous to employ a portable computer terminal in a route or otherwise mobile setting. Such applications include sales, invoicing, distribution, control and inventory of products delivered, and delivery or tracking of products or packages, warehouse stock control, process control on production lines, etc. Portable or hand-held data terminals have proven useful in increasing the efficiency of such applications by automating the entry and electronic storage of order, sales, delivery, receipt, pricing, inventory control, and other accounting functions.
Users of hand-held computer systems have a variety of needs and budgets, ranging from simple data collection and storage units to advanced systems for sales or distribution automation allowing real time communication with a wireless network. To accommodate a variety of needs and budgets, it is known to provide a basic data collection and storage terminal whereby additional peripheral devices can be added, depending on a user""s needs. Examples of such peripheral devices include bar code scanners or other optical scanning devices, additional RAM, hard drives or other mass storage device such as devices for storage on removable magnetic media, optical media, magneto-optical media, removable hard drive media, and the like, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, recordable (read/write) CD or DVD, magnetic stripe readers, wired or wireless LAN links, WAN links, CDPD links, microlink, optical links, ultrasound links, extra battery packs or back up batteries, etc.
One prior art strategy to provide an upgradable system is to provide a computer system with basic data collection and storage features and a means for attaching additional external units as needed. While such systems provide a relatively small basic unit, the expandability depends on the availability compatible external peripherals having the desired functionality and, furthermore, the number of peripherals which may be attached at any one time may be limited. In some systems, such additional units can be attached to the end of the data terminal. While such a system provides expandability, there are disadvantages. For example, computers designed for mobile use are often ruggedly constructed to meet certain criteria, e.g., repeated drops or a minimum number of drops from a given height, etc. However, the same terminal designed with a certain degree of ruggedness may lose its survivability with a module such as a scanner or an RF transceiver, and so forth, attached as an end unit. Alternatively, the attached module itself may not possess the same survival characteristics as the terminal to which it is to be attached.
Another disadvantage of employing external end unit modules is that the mass distribution and balance are altered and the same unit with an end cap module may not be as ergonomically favorable to use.
Yet another disadvantage of end cap module systems involves moisture problems. Hand-held units that can withstand use in inclement weather may lose this ability when an end cap module with an inferior seal is employed.
Finally, when a peripheral device is connected externally, it may be difficult to provide adequate shielding, causing problems with electromagnetic interference, problems with dissipation of a discharge of accumulated static electricity by a user, and so forth.
Some of the aforementioned problems, such as balance, shielding, weather resistance may be alleviated in systems that employ expandable modules or pods, e.g., scanners, RF transceivers, memory, modems, etc., which are designed to fit on a centrally located surface of the computer, for example, the undersurface of a hand-held terminal which may contain a removable plate, rather than the end of the data terminal. However, the use of such modular-pods can be disadvantageous in that their attachment disrupts the compactness of the computer and alters the profile of the computer. In this manner, either the overall thickness of the computer is substantially increased or, at the very least, areas of increased thickness, i.e., bulges or protrusions will be present on the housing surface. It would thus be desirable to provide a computer that provides (or provides internal space therefore, e.g., for future upgrades), the desired level of functionality without the need for altering the profile of the computer.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a computer system that provides a range of configurations from simple data collection capabilities for later batch transfer of data to the most advanced and demanding applications, including applications requiring a plurality of wireless connections, which may be housed within a single housing and without the need for custom designed external upgrade modules. In addition to solving the problems with ruggedness, ergonomics, moisture, and shielding, of such prior art hand-held computers, the present computer serves to reduce design and upgrade costs since specially designed upgrade modules or components are not required.
Numerous objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by the portable computing system according to the present invention. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a durable, reliable, and ergonomic computing system that is highly customizable and ungradable. Product flexibility and ease of customization is provided by the ability to employ a wide range of peripherals and accessories. In one embodiment, a docking unit is provided that provides additional functionality and flexibility. Flexibility is further enhanced by a CPU upgrade path as well as easily ungradable main system memory and hard disk drive.
In one embodiment, a method of positioning or arranging the internal components of a portable computer of a type operable to store data and execute programmed sets of instructions, and being further of a type sized to be operated while being held by a user, is provided. The portable computer comprises a housing forming an interior compartment for housing the internal components of the computer, and further comprises a generally planar main logic board mounted within the interior compartment and having a generally T-shaped configuration. In one embodiment, the main logic board comprises connectors and supporting circuitry for the internal components, and further comprises integral first and second portions, wherein the first portion traverses substantially the entire latitudinal dimension of the internal compartment, and has a longitudinal dimension substantially less than the latitudinal dimension of the internal compartment. The second portion of the main logic board is located adjacent to the first portion, and the latitudinal dimension of the second portion is substantially less than the latitudinal dimension of the internal compartment. The first and second portions together form a main logic board having a generally T-shaped configuration thereby providing voids or cutout regions in the main logic board corresponding to regions within the interior compartment that are not occupied by the main logic board. The generally T-shaped main logic board is mounted within the housing and the desired internal components are operably arranged within the computer""s housing. In this manner, components having a relatively large thickness may be housed within the interior compartment without the need for increasing the computer""s thickness, as would be necessary for a computer comprising a conventional, generally rectangular main logic board, by locating such components in the areas within the interior compartment not occupied by the main logic board that result from the general T-shape of the main logic board in accordance with the present invention. Also, a greater number of components may be housed within the interior compartment since the cutout regions forming the general T-shape of the main logic board in accordance with the present invention allow components to be stacked within the internal compartment in a manner that is not possible with the conventional generally rectangular main logic boards.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a portable computer of a type operable to store data and execute programmed sets of instructions, and being further of a type sized to be operated while being held by a user, comprising the generally T-shaped main logic board as shown and described herein. In another aspect, the present invention related to the generally T-shaped main logic board.
In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a shock mounting system for a portable computer having a flat panel display, such as an LCD display, comprising a shock absorbing member encasing the perimeter of the flat panel display and a metal frame mounted within the interior compartment retaining the shock absorbing member. In one embodiment, the shock absorbing member encasing the flat panel display may be replaced by a plurality of shock absorbing members spaced around the periphery of the flat panel display and engaging the shock absorbing frame.
In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a shock mounting system for a portable computer having a flat panel display, comprising a shock absorbing member encasing the perimeter of the flat panel display and a metal frame mounted within the interior compartment retaining the shock absorbing member wherein the metal frame forms at least a portion of the peripheral walls housing the computer. In one embodiment, the shock absorbing member encasing the flat panel display may be replaced by a plurality of shock absorbing members spaced around the periphery of the flat panel display and engaging the shock absorbing frame.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.